Die set and method of shaping the back portions and top lines of shoes



1954 A. H. ALTVATER DIE SET AND METHOD OF SHAPING THE BACK PORTIONS AND TOP LINES OF SHOES Or1g1nal Flled Oct 27, 1949 EHW .face. ,gether, the heel engaging portion forces the heel Patented Jan. 19, 1954 DIE SET AND METHOD OF SHAPING THE BACK PORTIONS AND TOP LINES OF snoEs Adolf H. AltvatenChesterfield, Mot, assignor to Western Supplies Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Original application october 27, 1949, Serial No. 128,951. Divided and this application May 11, 1951, Serial No. 225,844

6 Claims. (01. 12-51) The present invention relates generally to the shoe manufacturing art, and more particularly to a novel die set and method. of shaping the back portions and top lines of shoes, particularly those shoes which areslip lasted.

' This is a divisional application derived from my copending application Serial No. 123,951, filed October 27, 1949.

It is well known in the shoe manufacturing art that a conventional slip lasted shoe usually does not have a properly shaped upper and must be shaped subsequently to the lasting operation.

It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a novel die set and method of properly shaping the upper of a slip lasted shoe, particularly the back portion and is adapted to fit against the inner heel surface of a shoe positioned.

More particularly, it is an object to provide a die set and method of moving the heel and sole of a shoe in a direction substantiallynormal to the back line while holding the latter stationary so as to stretch and properly shape the shoe, and particularly the back portion and top line thereof. Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the detailed description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown.

In the preferred construction and method, the back of an unshapedshoe is disposed over a first die member which is shaped like the back portion and back line of a shaped shoe, in such a manner that the back of the shoe at the top line bears on the die. A second die member is provided which has a bottom surface shaped substantially like the back line of a shaped shoe, and which includes a heel engaging portion at one end which projects beyondthe bottom sur- When the die members are brought toand sole of the shoe forwardly relative to the back line thereof so as to stretch the body of the shoe and shape the back seam and the top constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of the die set, taken from the right side of Fig. 1; and

Figs. 3-5 are side elevational views of the me set shown mounted on a pressing machine, illustrating the sequence of the stretching operation progressively from Figs. 3 to 5.

Referring to the drawing more particularly by reference numerals, Hi indicates generally a set of die members embodying the teachings of the present invention which are used preferably with amachine of the type described in my copending application Serial No. 123,951, filed October 27, 1949. This machine includes a base (not shown) on which is mounted a die supporting block l2 (Figs. 3-5) which has an electric heater i4 and the heat responsive element It of a thermostat embedded therein. The upper surface of the supporting block I2 is flat andcontains two spaced cylindrical openings it which are particularly positioned for a purpose to appear.

Also mounted on the machine base is a ram member 20 (Figs. 3-5) which is disposed above the supporting block 12 and adapted to be reciprocated relative to it. The bottom of the ram member 26 contains a vertically extending slot 22 and a pair of aligned openings 24 which extend transversely through the two flange por tions formed by the slot 22.

As shown more particularly in Figs. 1 and 2; the die set l9 includes a bed die 26 and a plunger die 28. The bed die 26 has a fiat bottom surface 30 and pins 32 depending therefrom Which are positioned and shaped to fit into the openings [8 contained in the supporting block l2. Afiat heel plate 34 which is adapted to contact the fiat inner heel surface of the shoe sole is fas tened to the forward end of the bed die 26 and extends downwardly and outwardly therefrom, and, as will appear, is adapted to fit against the inner heel surface of a shoe positioned on the bed die 25. The upper surface of the bed die 25 is convex and is shaped to provide the proper shaping of the back line and back portion of a shoe. A front portion 36 thereof adjacent the heel plate 34 is shaped substantially like the desired shape ofthe back portion of the shoe on the inside, and a rear portion 38 is shaped like the top back line of a shoe and-is of a length to extend rearwardly beyond the top line of a shoe disposed thereon.

The plunger die 28 includes a flat elongated vertically extending body portion 43 of a thickness to fit freely within the slot 22 of the ram member 20 (Figs. 3-5). An opening 42 extends transversely through the body portion 40 adjacent its upper edge so that when the plunger die 28 is disposed in the slot 22, the opening 42 can be brought into alignment with the openings 24, and a retaining pin 44 inserted through them whereby the plunger die 28 is pivotally mounted on the ram member (Figs. 375);

The body portion 4'0. contains a bottom sur-. face 46 which is concave and shaped more or less complementary to the front portion of the bed die.

At the forward or outer end of the body portion there is a transversely extending heel engaging portion which has a concave lower surface 52 shaped somewhat like the back o-fa heeland which is offset downwardly from the bottom surface 46 of the body portion 40.

The lower surfaces of both the body portion 40 and the heel engaging portion 50 may be paole ded, as at 54, with felt or similar material to prevent injury to a shoe.

Slip lasted shoes ordinarily do not have perfectly conformed uppers, and the set of die men1- hers I!) is especially applicable for shaping the back line of such a shoe, and for stretching and shaping the top line thereof, in a manner which will now be described.

Operation As shown more particularly in Figs. 3-5, the bed die 28 is positioned on the supporting block !2 with the pins 32 disposed in the openings l8, and the plunger die 28 is pivotally mounted on the ram member 20.

In a slip lasted shoe, the top line at the back is usually too far forward relative to the back seam adjacent the heel. When such a shoe S is disposed on the bed die 25, it will contact at pri marily two points, namely the lower or forward part of the heel plate 34 and the rightward part of the upper edge of the bed die 26, adjacent the rear portion 38 (Fig. ,3). The part of the back of the shoe S adjacent the heel will be spaced above the front portion 35 of the bed die 25, as at (Fi s. 3 and 4). Thu h n the plun er i 38 s lowe d, it may first o a t the ShQe S by e engagement of the heel engaging portion 50 with the heel of the shoe (Fig. l). Because the die .28 is rockable about the retaining pin 44 it will, aftor such initial engagement, pivot or rock, until it establishes a second point of contact with the shoe to t e right of th pivot poi t d ed by the retain n p n 44. T is may be b a n d by Darts of the plunger die 2,8 to the right of the pin .44 obtaining solid backing on the bed die 26, after which, further downward movement of the plunger die 28 will force the heel of the shoe S downwardly while the top of the back seam thereof is restrained by the rear portion 38 of the bed die 26 (Fig. 5). With the pressure applied against the back of the heel, the shoe is stretched substantially fro-mback to toe, and, because the'back portion ofthe top line is held by the bed die 26, the back line is made smooth and the entire upper is stretched, including the entire top line. 'Where, as shown, the plunger die 28 contains aback seampressin portion such as the padding 5%, the action will also press the back seam. Hence, this action not only smooths the back line, but also presses the back seam and stretches the upper to eliminate wrinkles, and stretches the top lineto shape the foot opening of the shoe. The heat in'the beddie 26 heats the leather to render t it more pliable, and may also be used to soften a thermoplastic counter if such is present in the shoe.

Thus, it is apparent that there has been provided a novel die set and method of shaping the back portions and top lines of shoes which fulfill all of" the objects and advantages sought therefor. In a single'operation, the entire upper. of a slip lasted shoe is stretched so as to properly shape the back portion of the shoe, particularly the back line, and stretch and properly shape the top line o he sho It is to be understood that the foregoing description and the accompanying drawing have been given onlyby way of illustration and exampie, and that changes and alterations in the present disclosure, which will be readily apparent to onev skilled in the art, are contemplated as within the Scope of the present invention, which is limited only by the claims which follow.

What i claimed is:

1. In a method of shaping shoes, the steps of fitting a shoe over a die engageable with the back line of the shoe and the inner heel surface of the sole thereof; and applying pressure outside the back line and at the back member attached to the heel of the shoe so as to force. the shoe against the first die while the top line is held and displace the back of the shoe at the sole forwardly to shape the back line and the top line thereof.

2. In a method of Shaping shoes, the steps of disposing the back of a substantially finished shoe between a convex die engaged with the top of the back line and with the inner heel surface of the sole within the shoe, and a concave die engaged with the outside of the back of the shoei and applying closing force between the dies and along the sole line of the shoe while the top line thereof is held so as to displace the back of the shoe at the sole forwardly and hold the ba k of the top line stationary.

3. In a method of shaping shoes, the steps of disposing the back of a substantially finished shoe between a convex die engaged with the top of the back line and with the inner heel surface of the sole within the shoe, and a concave die engaged with the back of the heel; and applying closing force between the. dies and along the sole line of the shoe while the top line ther'of is held so as to displace the back of the shoe at the sole forwardly and. hold the back of the top l n stati na yii. A device of the type described, comprising a first die shaped like the inside of the back line of a shoe and having an extension to engage the forward part of the inner heel surface of the sole of a shoe; and a second die shaped substan tially like the outside of the back line of a shoe and having a projection extending beyond the bottom of the back line to engage the back of the heel member of the shoe. v V

5. A device of the type described, comprising a first die member shaped like the insideof the back line of a shoe and including a portion to contact the inner heel surface of the sole of a shoe disposed thereon; and a second die member having a bottom surface shaped substantially like the outside of the back line of the shoe and containing a heel engaging projection adjacent one end thereof which extends beyond said bottom surface and outside of said bottom heelsurface contacting portion of the first die. I

6. In a device of the type described, a first die member shaped like the inside of the back line of a shoe; and a second die member pivotally mounted adjacent said first die member and movable relative thereto, the second die member having a bottom surface shaped substantially like the outside of the back line of a shoe and containing a. heel engaging projection Which extends toward the first die member beyond said bottom surface so as to contact the back of the heel of a shoe disposed on the first die when said die members are brought together.

ADOLF H. ALTVATER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Gouldbourn Oct. 25, 1932 Krive Feb. 28, 1933 Dodge Sept. 5, 1939 Dodge Aug. 18, 1942 Lawson June 24, 1947 Farina Dec. '7, 1948 Kamborian Mar. 27, 1951 

